Tochoji Temple The Great Buddha of Fukuoka

Tochoji is the first temple built in Japan by the famous Buddhist monk, Kukai Kobo Daish. Kukai returned to Japan from the ancient Chinese Province of Tang, and built the temple in 806 to spread awareness of Shingon Esoteric Buddhism to the East.The idol of 'The Senju Kannon Bodhisattva', or Thousand-Armed Kannon, in Tochoji was created in the Heian period. Whereas its height is relatively small at 87cm, it was designated as a national treasure in the Meiji period.The giant Buddha statue, Fukuoka Daibutsu, whose height is 10.8 meters and weight is 30 tons, is enshrined at Daibutsu-den, the second floor of the main temple. The creation of this Daibutsu was finished in 1992. It is the largest among enshrined Daibutsus made of wood in Japan. Picture scrolls with depictions of Hell are displayed on the Daibutsu's base. It is also said that if you touch the Wheel of Buddha, 'Hotoke No Wa' in the dark corridor, you can go to Heaven. Therefore, it is commonly known as "Jigoku Gokuraku Meguri", or the 'Heaven and Hell Tour'.